The Elements
by tunystark
Summary: There's no reason for him to speak, so he doesn't.


The Elements; Blaine Anderson

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Earth

.

His face pales.

They are here, again. Every day they follow him- down the road, onto the bus, into school. Each step is somewhat like a walk to the hanger's noose, eyes locked upon him: checking up just in case he talks to someone, looks at someone and infects the school with 'gay'.

They are always there, and it scares him into a shell. The head goes down, the eyes close, the feet drag across the floor.

The shell locks.

The head gets lower, the shuffling gets slower, and the eyes stay closed. And then they arrive.

They come attacking, from all angles. It starts from the left, then from the right - then from right under his feet.

They blow him like a leaf onto the ground. Each fist is accompanied - a whispered slur of 'your family doesn't love you' or 'fag' or 'you'll die in hell' or 'we all hate you' or 'everyone hates you.'

The worst part of it is that the messages follow him everywhere now.

His heart sinks a little as he hits the floor. But - then again - it's always a relief when he finally passes out.

.

Fire

.

They ask him all sorts of questions when he arrives at the hospital.

_('What happened?'_

_'Who's your guardian?'_

_'Where's your family?'_

_'Would you feel comfortable talking to the police?')_

He tries to answer- and sometimes his mouth even opens- but the words won't come, and the shaking in his hand just won't _stop_.

They treat his injuries; the broken ribs, the concussion, the dislocated shoulder, the collapsed spleen and the internal bleeding. They even try to stop the shaking with drugs and therapy.

Eventually his Mother arrives, attached to her telephone. She shoos away the Doctors who try to tell her what's happened, the nurses who try to comfort her. _(Why would she need comforting? Her business is still perfectly fine, tha__nk you very much.)_

She sits by his bedside for a few hours, while he tries to fight the fire in his chest to form some kind of words.

She gets bored though, and work needs her.

They try to get her to stay, pester her with guilt pleas- 'he needs you', 'he needs comfort' and 'he needs a familiar face'.

She says his father thinks that the only thing he needs is some straightening out, the _fag_.

The shaking gets stronger as the nurse comes in - a sympathetic smile on her face, trying to get a sparkle back in his eyes. Her sparkle has gone too, he notices.

He also notices that after his mother's admission, he gets a new doctor.

It probably didn't feel right- treating the devil.

.

Water

.

He's not too sure whether they're rain or tears. He guesses rain, because why would he be crying?

There's no pain anymore, physically. And crying? _That's_ for fairies.

His new blazer is crisp; strange. It feels like it's holding him in, telling him this is who he is now - Blaine Anderson - dapper extraordinaire.

The doors in front of Dalton are broad and iron-bolted. He can't help but wonder whether this is to keep the boys in. That's when he feels that sense of paranoia and the shaking starts back up.

The headmaster stands there at the doors, waiting, ready-made smile classed as 'welcoming' and 'friendly'.

Blaine's learnt to read people rather than talk to them and this man doesn't really care. But he tries really hard - and he does put on a rather good show of it - and for that Blaine gives him a little credit.

He follows the man inside, leaving his father to make his way back into a perfect life.

.

Air

.

He's been at Dalton for a year and a half now. Perhaps he has friends, he can't be sure. He has admirers, for sure. And he's pretty popular, which is something he had never seen coming.

What else? Oh yes, singing. He can sing now. Maybe he always could, he had just never seen reason to try it. He knew if he were to see the disappointment on his father's face, he would try to stop. But it's the way of expressing himself with more than a word (that's all he's built up too), and he doesn't have to whisper when he sings. They're not his own words- the lyrics- but people still understand him.

There's a singing group at Dalton. His mentor, Wes, talked him into auditioning. Blaine doesn't think Wes ever imagined Blaine would actually get in. That's hardly surprising though - Wes had never even heard him talk, let alone sing. Blaine himself could hardly remember what he sounded like, at that point.

He was one of the three people to get a place in the esteemed group, the only freshman, and that was the first time he thought he might be able to be something.

Maybe it's the amount of passion he puts into the lyrics that made them choose him as their lead singer, he knows he isn't the best musician in the group. But it's his way of communication and the Warblers understand it.

Apart from the singing, his mouth stays shut.

The Warblers are his friends, they really are. They've stuck with him. They've never ran away. But he knows they're waiting for the dam to open, to be able meet Blaine, properly.

And he wishes he could stop the waiting, and give them what they want.

He walks down the steps.

'Uh, excuse me, hey? Can I ask you a question? I'm new here.'

Blaine turns, and is confronted with an angel. For the first time in two years he opens his mouth- not to sing, not to give a heart-breaking whispered reply- and says;

'My name's Blaine.'


End file.
